DNA Machines for Molecular Self-Assembly

Authors:

F.C. Simmel and B. Yurke

Affilation:

Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, US

Pages:

81 - 84

Keywords:

nanotechnology, DNA, self-assembly, molecular machines

Abstract:

The molecular recognition properties of DNA are used to construct and power two prototype nanomachines, a pair of molecular tweezers and a nanoactuator. The motion of these machines is driven by hybridization with DNA "fuel" strands. Cyclic operation between two distinct mechanical states is possible for both machines and is demonstrated by fluoresence resonance energy tranfer experiments. DNA serves as structural material, as a fuels, and as information carrier.